Understanding the Stress/Health Connection

 

Stress exists in your mind — but it's also evident in your stomach, heart, muscles and even your toes. "In fact, stress may affect every cell in your body," says Ronald Glaser, Ph.D., a researcher at Ohio State University Medical School. During stressful times, your body produces various chemicals, including cortisol, an immune-suppressing hormone. The more cortisol produced, the weaker your immune cells become and the more susceptible you are to illness. "A one-day stressor isn't going to make a big change in your risk of getting a cold, for example," says Dr. Glaser. "But a chronic stressor that lasts a few weeks could dampen your immune response and create a risk of disease." Migraine headaches, sleep disorders, backaches, skin rashes, fatigue, irritability, headache, depression, worry, mood swings, chest pain, anxiety, upset stomach, ulcers, and high blood pressure are common reactions to stress. By gaining a better understanding of the stress/disease connection, you can reduce your stress and, in turn, improve your health and well-being.

 

Keeping stress in check

The following steps can help you control everyday stress: 

l Recognize your stress signals. Once you're aware of your stressors, you'll have a better idea of when you're stressed and can take steps to reduce them. 

l Notice when you're most vulnerable to stress and prepare yourself. Are you most affected in the mornings? On Mondays? In the winter? 

l Exercise. Aerobic workouts — walking, cycling, swimming, or running — can release pent-up frustrations while producing endorphins, brain chemicals that counteract stress. 

l Eat a healthful diet. A balanced diet can help stabilize your mood. 

l Communicate with friends and family. Social ties relieve stress and contribute to a positive attitude. 

l Spend time enjoying your hobbies. Doing so allows you to focus on a pleasurable activity instead of your problems.

 

l  Try relaxation techniques. Meditation, creative imagery, visualization, deep-breathing exercises, yoga, and listening to relaxation tapes can help you relax.

l  Learn to set limits. Don't agree to unnecessary, stressful obligations.

l  Get enough sleep. Stress interferes with relaxation, making it hard to get a good night's sleep, which can lead to fatigue and a reduced ability to cope. To get the best sleep possible, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

l  Steer clear of caffeine. Caffeine can add to your anxiety, making you feel even more stressed.

l  Avoid alcohol and drugs. Using alcohol or other drugs to relieve stress only masks symptoms and can worsen stress in the long run.

l  Learn something new. The excitement of learning something new, such as how to speak a different language or play a musical instrument, can make your worries seem far away.

l  Take a breather. Stressful situations can make you breathe more shallowly or hold your breath. When you have to relax fast, belly breathing can be done in seconds. To do it: Concentrate on making your abdomen move out as you inhale through your nose, then in as you exhale. Using imagery as you belly breathe can help you further deepen and slow the pace of your breathing. As you inhale, close your eyes and imagine the air swirling into your nose and down into your lungs. As you exhale, imagine the air swirling back out again.

了解壓力與健康的關聯性

壓力存於心中，但壓力狀態也可從你的胃、心臟、肌肉甚或腳趾看出端倪。「事實上，壓力可能影響你身體的每一個細胞」，俄亥俄州立大學醫學院研究員 Ronald Glaser 博士表示。身處壓力狀態時，你的身體會產生不同的化學物質，包括皮質醇、免疫抑制賀爾蒙。越多的皮質醇產生，你的免疫細胞能力就會越衰弱，而你就越容易生病。「舉例而言，單日的壓力源不會對身體造成重大變化而造成罹患感冒的風險」，Glaser 博士表示，「然而持續幾週的壓力源可能削弱你的免疫機制，進而造成罹病的危險」。偏頭痛、睡眠障礙、背痛、皮疹、疲勞、暴躁、頭痛、抑鬱、憂慮、情緒波動、胸痛、焦慮、胃部不適、潰瘍及高血壓為壓力造成的常見反應。藉由對壓力與疾病的關聯性更進一步的了解，有助於減少壓力，那麼你的身心健康也能隨之改善。

 

隨時掌控壓力

下列步驟可以幫助你控制日常壓力：

l  認識你的壓力信號：一旦你發現自己的壓力源，你就能更容易發現自己身處壓力中，並且能採取行動以減緩壓力。

l  請注意你最脆弱無法承受壓力的時間點，讓自己有心理準備：你是早上最容易受到壓力影響？或是每週一？抑或是冬季？

l  運動：有氧運動如散步、騎自行車、游泳或跑步都能讓大腦產生能夠抵消受壓抑挫折的化學物質─腦內啡。

l  飲食健康：均衡的飲食有助於情緒的穩定。

l  與朋友和家人溝通談心：社交關係能舒緩壓力並助於產生積極的態度。

l  花時間培養個人嗜好：透過培養嗜好，你能專注於令人愉快的活動上，而非壓力的問題。

l  試試放鬆技巧：冥想、創意發想、天馬行空的幻想、深呼吸練習、瑜珈，以及聽放鬆的音樂都能助你舒緩壓力。

l  學會訂出可承受極限：不要接受不必要且壓力過大的責任。

l  睡眠充足：壓力會影響放鬆，造成夜間無法好眠，進而導致疲勞與應變能力下降。為獲得最佳睡眠品質，盡量每天固定時間就寢與起床。

l  避免咖啡因：咖啡因會造成焦慮，讓你的感覺壓力更重。

l  避免酒精和藥物：藉由酒精或其他藥物舒緩壓力僅能治標，而最終可能造成壓力加劇。

l  學習新知：學習新知的刺激，例如學習不同的語言或演奏樂器，都能讓你的憂慮遠離。

休息喘口氣（深呼吸）：壓力大的情況會造成淺息或屏息的呼吸方式。當你需要快速的放鬆時，腹式呼吸在幾秒內就可達此效果。方法如下：透過鼻子吸氣時，集中注意力讓腹部向外凸出，而吐氣時腹部向內縮。使用腹式呼吸並發揮你的想像力有助於更進一步地加深與減緩呼吸的節奏。吸氣時，閉上眼睛，想像空氣旋入你的鼻腔且深入你的肺中；而吐氣時則反之而行，想像空氣從肺中與鼻腔旋出。